Apparatus for producing tetrahedron containers provided with an access aperture



G. A. MOBLEY Nov. 29, 1966 3,287,878 OVIDED APPARATUS FOR PRODUCINGTETRAHEDRON CONTAINERS PR WITH AN ACCESS APERTURE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledFeb. 25, 1963 momzOw v v 1? m r mOmDOm INVENTOR. GEORGE A. MOBLEYATTORNEY Nov. 29, 1966 G. A. MOBLEY 3,2fi7fi78 APPARATUS FOR PRODUCINGTETRAHEDRON CONTAINERS PROVIDED WITH AN ACCESS APERTURE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed Feb. 25, 1965 INVENTOR. GEORG A. MOBLEY ATTORNEY G. A. MOBLEY Nov.29, 1966 APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING TETRAHEDRON CONTAINERS PR WITH ANACCESS APERTURE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 25, 1963 INVENTOR.

AT TO RNEY United States Patent 3,287,878 APPARATUS FOR PRODUCINGTETRAHEDRON CONTAINERS PROVIDED WITH AN ACCESS APERTURE George A.Mobley, Spartanburg, S.C., assignor to Milliken Tetra Pair, 2 Divisionof Clemson Industries, Inc., Pacolet, S.C., a corporation of DelawareFiled Feb. 25, 1963, Ser. No. 260,587 8 Claims. (Cl. 53-133) Thisinvention relates to apparatus for producing tetrahedron containersprovided with an access aperture in a wall thereof covered by aremovable tape heatsealed to the container.

Tetrahedron containers are rapidly gaining acceptance as containers fora wide variety of liquids, despite certain difficulties associated withthe use of the containers, because of the substantial economies realizedby the use thereof instead of the conventional rectangular containers.One of the problems associated with the use of tetrahedron containers isthat by the very nature by which the containers are formed, it isdifiicult to provide means for obtaining access to the contents of thecontainer.

It is an object of this invention to provide apparatus and methods forproducing sealed tetrahedron containers having an access aperture in awall thereof covered by a tape heat-sealed to the container wall.

Another object is to provide such apparatus which provides an unsealedportion on the tape to facilitate its removal.

Still another object is to provide apparatus which pro vides suchunsealed portion on the tape which projects outwardly from the containerwalls so as to provide a readily locatable pull tab.

Still a future object is to provide apparatus readily mountable onexisting commercial apparatus which form sealed tetrahedron containers.

Other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which thisinvention pertains.

The apparatus and methods of this invention employ heat sealing meanswhich reciproca-bly travel with the sheet material used to form thecontainers while segments of the tape are being pressed against thesheet of material in a heated condition. A-n unsealed portion of thetape, to provide a pull tab, is produced by positioning the heat sealingmeans with respect to the tape segments so that a portion of the segmentremains unheated. A wing effect, provided by the unsealed portion of thetape projecting outwardly from the walls of the containers can beprovided by positioning the access aperture on the tetrahedron containerat approximately that apex of a wall of the container which is uppermostwhen the container is resting on the wall opposite the aperturebearingwall, with the uppermost end of the tape segment being the unsealed end.If the width of the tape is such that it is wider than the apex portionof the aperturebearing wall which the unsealed end portion covers, theend portion will project outwardly from the aperturebearing wall. Asthat end portion is unsealed, it will also project outwardly from thewalls adjacent the aperturebearing wall.

The above-described tetrahedron containers can be produced by modifyingthe methods and apparatus described in US. Patent Nos. 2,738,631;2,741,079; 2,784,- 540; 2,821,250; 2,832,271; 2,869,299 and 2,895,731.If the container is to be formed and filled under aseptic conditions,then the procedure and apparatus disclosed Patented Nov. 29, 1966 in US.Patent Nos. 2,918,770; 2,928,219; 3,063,211 and 3,063,845 can beemployed. The mechanism for providing the tab seals will be mounted onsuch apparatus between the point where the paper stock is unrolled andthe point where the partially formed container is filled with itscontents. Certain of the containers which can be formed following themethods and employing the apparatus of this invention provide thesubject matter of copending application Serial Number 260,594, filed oneven date herewith, now Patent No. 3,166,226.

The apparatus and methods of this invention employ laminated stockmaterial, the innermost lamina of which is .a layer of thermoplasticmaterial substantially impervious and inert to the contents of thecontainer, such containers being now well known in the art. Thelaminated material used to form these containers is ordinarily one ormore layers of paper laminated to one or more layers of polyethylene orpolypropylene so that the face of the laminated material which will formthe inner face of the container will present a liquid impervious face tothe contents. The outermost lamina is ordinarily moisture resistant,either by being formed of a layer of wet strength paper or of a laminaof thermoplastic material such as wax or polyethylene, or both. Thecontainer will bear the conventional transverse sealed seams andlongitudinal butt, i.e., inside face to inside face, seam or lapped,i.e. inside face to outside face, seam. Although the apparatus andmethods of this invention can provide a tape covered aperture at anypoint on any wall of the tetrahedron container, except at thelongitudinal or transverse seam areas, such an aperture is ordinarilyand preferably provided near the apex which is uppermost of a wall whichfaces upward when the container rests on the opposite wall. This accessaperture will ordinarily be a small round hole which, if the containeris a pint or half-pint size, will be about the size which will receive adrinking straw. This opening or aperture is sealed by a tape whichcovers the opening and is bonded to the outer face of the portion of thewall bearing the aperture by the thermoplastic material which forms atleast the inner face of the tape, thus providing a seal which resistsaccidental unsealing. As stated above, to insure that the tape can beremoved properly and readily, the apparatus is ordinarily arranged sothat there is provided an end portion on the tape, preferably theuppermost portion, which is not sealed to the container wall, thusproviding a pull tab. The unsealed edge portion preferably extendsoutwardly away from the container walls. Such an arrangement permitseven a small child to remove the tape without instruction. The tape ispreferably formed of paper laminated to polyethylene or paperimpregnated with polyethylene, polypropylene, or wax.

This invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic view ofa tetrahedron container forming apparatuswith attached aperture forming mechanism which incorporates a tapeapplicator mechanism of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a simplified front planar view of a tape seal formingmechanism of this invention;

FIGURE 3 is a simplified side planar view of the mechanism of FIGURE 2taken along line 11-11;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of a sealed tetrahedron container havingsealed opening in the wall thereof which can be formed by the apparatusshown in FIGURES 13;

FIGURE 5 is a highly enlarged cross-sectional view 3 of the openingbearing portion of the wall of the tetrahedron container shown in FIGURE4.

As shown in FIGURE 1, a roll of paper 10, of the type shown incross-section in FIGURE 5 is guided by guides 20, 21, 22 and 23, throughtube forming means 30, into contact with longitudinal seam forming heatsealing means (not shown), filling means 31, transverse.

seam forming heater bars 32 and 33, and tranverse seam cutting means(not shown), of an apparatus of the type described in theabove-mentioned patents to form the individual tetrahedron cartons 34.

A punch mechanism is provided on the apparatus and arranged to operatein timed relationship with the transverse seam forming bars 32 and 33,so that pairs of holes 11 and 12 will be properly positioned on pairs ofthe completed containers 34, by a punch cam 43 mounted on the driveshaft 44 which also drives the heater bars 32 and 33. At the propermoment in relationship to the action of these heater bars, the cam 43closes switch 45 which completes circuit 46, connected to an source,thus causing plunger of solenoid 51 to be driven downward, striking apunch lever 52 pivotally mounted by pivot 53 to punch frame 54, whichframe is also pivotally mounted by a pivot 55 to avoid tearing the stock10 by the movement of the stock while the punches 56 and 57 are pressedthrough the stock. The downward movement of punch lever 52 forces thespring loaded punches 56 and 57 through the paper stock, thus producinga pair of spaced holes 11 and 12 in the paper stock. As switch 45 isonly momentarily closed by punch cam 43, the punches 56 and 57 arequickly withdrawn from the paper stock by springs 58 and 59. The paperstock bearing the pairs of holes then moves toward the tape sealingmechanism over a bed 60 of the carriage body 61 thereof. The carriagebody is slidably mounted on the tetrahedron forming apparatus so as tobe reciprocally movable a short distance parallel with the movement ofthe paper stock. Mounted on the carriage body 61 are a pair of rolls oftapes 62 and 63 intermittently advanced by a pair of tape feed drivenrolls 64 and 65 which Work cooperatively with tape feed pressure rolls66 and 67 to advance the free ends 68 and 69 of the tapes 62 and 63which project past a pair of guide slots 70 and 71, which slots also actas one member each of a pair of scissor type cutting devices whichintermittently cut the projecting ends 68 and 69 of the tapes 62 and 63to provide the tab seals 13 and 14 covering apertures 11 and 12. Alsomounted on the carriage body 61 are a pair of pressure cylinders 72 and73 having air actuated piston rods 74 and 75 on which are mountedelectrically heated heater platens 76 and 77, each connected to ansource. To provide unsealed portions on the severed tapes 13 and 14, theheater platens 76 and '77 have a width less than the width of the tapes62 and 63 or are positioned with respect to the ends 68 and 69 thereofso that a portion of the tape ends are not sealed to the stock, thusproviding pull tabs on the tetrahedron containers 34 when formed.Mounted on the heater platens 76 and 77 are moving cutting edges 78 and79 which provide the other member of the scissor type tape cuttingdevices. Also mounted on the carriage body 61 is a tape feed cylinder 81which, through its piston rod 82, a clevis 83, crank 84 and one wayclutch 85 tape feed linkage, intermittently advances the tape feed rolls62 and 63 and thus advances tape ends 68 and 60.

Mounted in a fixed manner on the tetrahedron forming apparatus, todetect when the carriage body 61 reaches its station closest to thepunch mechanism 40 is a threeway tape feed valve 90, joined by aflexible hose 91 to tape feed cylinder 81 and also connected by a secondhose 92 to a source of compressed air 93. Similarly mounted is anend-of-stroke bleeder valve 94, connected by a hose 95 to a four-waybistable valve 96. Also fixed mounted on the tetrahedron formingapparatus is a carriage return cylinder 97, connected by a hose 98 tofourway valve 96. Four-way valve 96 is connected by flexible hose 99 andhoses 99a and 99b to pressure cylinders 72 and 73, and is connected byhose 100 to the source of compressed air 93, and by hose 101 to a cambleeder valve 102 activated by bleeder valve cam 103 mounted on driveshaft 44. Cams 43 and 103 are mounted on shaft 44 so that cam bleedervalve 43 is activated when a pair of holes 11 and 12 are properlypositioned under heater platens 76 and 77.

FIGURES 2 and 3 illustrate a preferred embodiment of the above-describedtape sealing mechanism. As shown in these drawings, a tape feed mountingframe 201 is rigidly mounted on the tetrahedron container formingmechanism adjacent the area where the feed stock 10 is unrolled, asshown schematically illustrated in FIGURE 1, so that the stock passesthrough the tape feed mechanism between the area where the apertures aremade in the stock and the area where the stock is formed intocontainers. Slidably mounted on the mounting frame 201, by means of apair of slide rods 202 and 203 is the carriage body 205. Low frictionmounting and movement is achieved by ball bushings 206 and 207 mountedin bushing tubes 208 and 209. The ends 68 and 69 of the rolls of tapes62 and 63, shown in FIGURE 1, are fed into the carriage body 205 by apair of tape slides 211 and a pair of tape slide lids 212, each of whichis provided in two parts, i.e., an outer section 212a, which is raisableby means of hinge 213 to facilitate loading of the tape, and an innersection 212b, which is spring loaded by tape slide lid spring 214. Tapeslide 211 is mounted on the carriage body by tape slide holder 215. Thetape slide 211 and the inner section 21212 of the tape slide lid 212have open portions 216 and 217 to permit the tapes 62 and 63 to beintermittently advanced by the pair of driven tape feed rolls 64 and 65(only one of which is visible in FIGURE 3), each of which is mountedabove a tape slide 211 on the carriage body 205 by tape feed roll shaft218 for coaction with tape feed pressure rolls 66 and 67 (only one ofwhich is visible in FIGURE 3) which are rotatably mounted, by shaft 219on spring loaded tape feed pressure roll arm 220, On carriage body 205by tape feed pressure roll arm shaft 221. Tape feed driven rolls 64 and65 have multiple grooves 222 in their tape engaging surfaces forobtaining positive and nonslipping engagement with tapes 62 and 63. Eachof tape feed driven rolls 64 and 65 are rotated counterclockwise bymeans of a one-way clutch system 85 which rotates the tape feed drivenrolls 64 and 65 a partial turn with each upstroke of the tape feedpiston rod 82 of the tape feed cylinder 81. The tape feed piston rod 82is joined to the one-way clutch system 85 by means of a tape feed clevis83 joined through pin 83a to tape feed crank 84. Slots 70 and 71 areprovided in stationary blade members 225 and 226 to receive the ends 68and 69 of the tapes 62 and 63 after leaving the pair of tape slides 211.These slots 70 and 71 are canted with respect to the horizontal plane ofthe carriage body to permit the tape ends to be cut with a scissors-likeaction. The bottom cutting edges 227 and 228 of the slots 70 and 71provide the cutting edges of the stationary blade members 225 and 226.

The sheet material 10 used to form the tetrahedron containers 34 is fedthrough throat 230 of carriage body 205 so that the aperture bearingportion of the sheet material is positioned under the ends 68 and 69 ofthe tapes 62 and 63 which project beyond the stationary blades 225 and226. Mounted to the carriage body 205 by pressure pad mounting 231, toprovide a resilient support for the sheet material 10 below the heaterplaten portion of the tape seal mechanism, is a pressure pad assembly232, including a pressure pad holder 233. Tightly mounted on the uppersurface of pressure pad holder 233 is a pair of rubber or otherresilient pressure pads 234 and 235 separated by a pressure pad spacer236. Covering the upper surface of the pressure pads and spacer is a lowfriction and heat resistant polyfiuoroethylene (Teflon) pressure padcover 237. Slippage of the pressure pads 234 and 235 and pressure padspacer 236 in pressure pad holder 233 is prevented by pressure pad stops238 secured to the pressure holder 233.

Mounted on a forward plate 240 of carriage body 205 for verticalalignment respectively with slots 70 and 71 of stationary blades 225 and226 by means of upper and lower pressure cylinder heads 241 and 242 area pair 72 and 73 of pressure cylinders, having respective downwardlyprojecting piston rods 74 and 75. Mounted to these piston rodsrespectively are piston rod feet 243 and 244 on each of which is mounteda heater platen 76 and 77, respectively, but separated therefrom by afirst 247 and second 248 layer of thermal insulation. Each heater platenis provided with a cavity 249 in which is mounted an electrical heater251 having terminals 252a and 25212 connected to an source. Also mountedon each of heater platens 76 and 77 are respective platen blades 78 and79 arranged for sliding contact with stationary blades 225 and 226,which provide the moving cutting edges 256 and 257 to work cooperativelywith stationary cutting edges 227 and 228 to shear the end portions 68and 69 of tapes 62 and 63 which project outwardly from slots 70 and 71.The bottom faces of platens 76 and 77 provide pressure surfaces 258 and259 to hold the severed ends of the tapes tightly against respectiveaperture hearing portions of the sheet material 10. These pressuresurfaces have respective indented portions 261 and 262 so that the widthof the pressure surfaces is less than the width of tapes 62 and 63,thereby leaving a portion on each of the severed tape ends 13 and 14,shown in FIG- URE l, unsealed to the sheet material 10, which providesthe pull tab 407 shown on the container shownin FIG- URE 4. If therecessed portion is provided on only a corner of the platens 76 and 77,then only one corner of the tape end will remain unsealed to the sheetmaterial 10.

Mounted so that its push rod 121 can contact a stop 264 provided on thecarriage body 205 is carriage return cylinder 97. Also mounted on thecarriage body 205 is a cam assembly 266 having tapered ends whichprovide a tape feed cam 266a and end-of-stroke cam 266b, respectively.Vertically mounted on the tape feed mechanism mounting frame 201 byvalve mount 268 are threeway tape feed valve 90 and end-of-strokebleeder valve 94. Mounted below each of these valves on the tape feedassembly mounting frame 201 are a pair of cam follower arms 271 and 272,which are mounted through respective hinge pins 273 and 274 forup-and-down hinged motion. Attached to the end of cam follower arms 271and 272 are respective cam follower rollers 275 and 276 which contactfeed cam 266a and end-of-stroke cam 266b, respectively, and in so doingraise push rod 110 of threeway tape feed valve 90 and push rod 120 ofend-of-stroke bleeder valve 94, respectively.

In operation, when tape feed cam 266a contacts cam follower roller 275,thereby causing cam follower arm 271 to lift push rod 110 of three-waytape feed valve 90, tape feed cylinder 81 is thereby connected throughtube 91, three-Way tape feed valve 90 and tube 92 to compressed airsource 93. This air pressure forces piston rod 82 upward, overcoming.the means (which can be a spring or lower air pressure) within thecylinder 81 which normally holds piston rod 82 in extended position.This upward movement causes feed rolls 64 and 65 to rotate in acounterclockwise direction, thereby advancing tapes 62 and 63 so thattheir ends'68 and 69 protrude from slots 70 and 71 a predetermineddistance sufficient to cover apertures 11 and 12 in sheet material 10.At a predetermined time later, when cam 103 strikes push rod 111 ofbleeder valve 102, air is released from cavity 112 of four-way valve 96.This produces a differential air pressure within the four-way valve 96which causes internal piston 113 to shift position and to move intocavity 112, carrying with it internal shuttle valve 114, thereby (a)connecting the carriage return cylinder 97 through pipe 98 with exhaustpipe 115 of four-way valve 96. The resulting release of air fromcarriage return cylinder 97 permits its push rod 121 to retract and thusallow the carriage body 205 to move in the direction of sheet stock 10flow, when actuated in the manner described below, and (b) connectingthe pressure cylinders 72 and 73 with the source of compressed air 93.The resulting air pressure actuates these cylinders, overcoming themeans (which can be a spring or lower air pressure) within the cylinderswhich normally hold their piston rods 74 and 75 in their upwardposition, thus causing rods 74 and 75 to move heated platens 76 and 77downward past slots 70 and 71 and their shearing edges 227 and 228 sothat ends 68and 69 are sheared from tapes 62 and 63 by the cuttingaction of edges 256 and 257 of platen blades 78 and 79 againststationary blades 225 and 226. These sheared ends are immediatelythereafter pressed firmly against paper stock 10 over a pair of holes 11and 12 by the platen pressure surfaces 258 and 259 of heater platens 76and 77. The pressure of these platens against the paper stock causes thecarriage body 205 to move along with the moving paper stock, thusproviding the required time for the severed tape ends 68 and 69 to beheat sealed to the paper stock. When the carriage body and itsassociated parts travel a predetermined distance, as partially shown inphantom in FIGURE 1, end-of-stroke cam 266b contacts cam follower roller276, thereby causing ca-m follower arm 272 to lift push rod 120 ofend-of-strokebleeder valve 94, thereby bleeding air from hose and fromthe side of four-way valve 96 opposite cavity 112.

Four-way valve 96 is equipped with a pressure equalizing capillarypassage 116. After the air pressure has been bled from cavity 112 bybleeder valve 102 (which immediately closes again as cam 103 moves pastpush rod 111) and the piston 113 and shuttle valve 114 have shifted intocavity 112, passage 116 permits air pressure to build up again. Thisaction again equalizes the air pressure between the two ends of piston113. Thus, when air is thereafter bled from the opposite side of thefour-way valve 96 by bleeder valve 94, an air pressure differential willonce again exist on the two sides of piston 113, which causes the pistonto return to the position shown in FIGURE 1. This latter valve action(a) releases the air from pressure cylinders 72 and 73 by connectingthem to exhaust pipe 115 of the four-way valve 96, causing the cylindersto draw the heater platens 76 and 77 away from the paper stock 10, and(b) connects the carriage return cylinder 97 to the source of compressedair 93 through tube 98, four-way valve 96 and tube 100, causing its pushrod 121 to rapidly return the carriage body to its original position,thereby causing tape feed cam 266a to engage roller 275 of cam followerarm 271 and lifting push rod of three-way tape feed valve 90, and theabove-described cycle then begins again. It will be apparent from theabove discussion that any or all of the air actuation can be replaced byhydraulic operation.

As shown in FIGURE 4, the tetrahedron container 401, having the usualtransverse seams 402 and 403, has an opening 404 positioned at theuppermost apex 405 of the wall 406 facing upward when the container 401rests on the wall opposite to the opening bearing wall 406. The opening404 is sealed by a tape 407 covering the opening 404 and sealed to theportion of the wall 406 surrounding the opening 404. An end portion 408of the tape is unsealed to the container to provide a pull tab forremoving the tape when access to the contents of the container isdesired. The unsealed end portion 408 extends outwardly from the wallsof the container, as shown in FIGURE 4, to provide a winged effect tothe tab, thus making it easy to locate, an important feature when thecontainer is used by young children or persons with poor vision. ,Anoptional feature is an uncoated strip 409 along the container wall 406when the wall is coated with Wax or other material which would 7 tend tointerfere with the sealing of the tape 407 to the wall 406.

Details of the construction of the container wall 406 and the tape 407of the container 401 are shown in' FIGURE along with the manner in whichthe tape is sealed to the wall. The wall 406 shown in FIGURE 5 is alaminated paper consisting essentially of two layers 501 and 502 of wetstrength paper alternated by two layers 503 and 504 of polyethylene, oneof which layers 504 forms the interior face of the wall 406. The tape407 covering the opening 404 is a laminated tape having an outer paperlayer 505 and an inner polyethylene layer 506. The seal between the tape407 and the paper lamina 502 of wall 406 in the container 401 shown inthe drawings is achieved by heat sealing which caused some of thepolyethylene lamina 506 of the tape 407 to penetrate into the outerportion 507 of the most exteriorly positioned paper lamina 502 of wall406 so that the polyethylene is infused around the fibers in thatportion of the lamina. This can be seen when the tape is pulled from thecontainer. A thin layer of fibers from the paper lamina 502 can be seenimbedded in the polyethylene lamina 506. The heat sealing causes a beadwhich can be a shallow bead 507 or a deep bead 50-7 to be for-med aboutthe edge of the opening 404. This tends to reduce edge wicking intopaper lamina 502 or eliminate such wicking when the bead 507' penetratesdeeply enough into the opening 404 to bond with the polyethylene lamina504 of the wall 406 of the container. This is particularly important ifthe paper lamina has low wet strength, in which case it is mostdesirable for the bead to penetrate into the opening 404 until a liquidtight seal is achieved between the innermost positioned polyethylenelamina 503 and bead 507. The heat sealing causes a recessed portion 509in the tape 407 as a result of the portion of the tape being drawn intothe opening 404. As also shown in FIGURE 4, a portion 408 of the tape407 is left unsealed to the container to provide a pull tab for removingthe tape.

The stock used to make the tetrahedron containers can be for-med of awide variety of laminated products, e.g., a polyethylene, polypropylene,polyvinylchloride, ployvinyl acetate, nylon, polyester, or otherthermoplastic film or layers laminated to paper, fabric, aluminum foil,lead foil or other suitabe packaging material. The tape used to form theseal over the aperture can be constructed wholly of one of the abovethermoplastic materials or it can also be a laminated product like thecontainer stock. Generally, a polyethylene-paper laminated product ispreferred for both. 7

The size and shape of the opening or aperture in the container willdepend upon its intended use, i.e., whether or not it is to be used as apouring opening or as an opening for insertion of a drinking straw.However, a round hole about to is preferred when the container is ahalf-pint or pint size containing milk or a soft drink.

The tape can be colored so as to blend or contrast with the containerwall and can bear printing such as advertising or instructions onopening the container.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for providing external tape seals over a series of pairs ofapertures in a moving sheet of material, arranged for attachment on atetrahedron container forming machine also having an attachment whichforms pairs of apertures in the moving sheet in timed relationship withthe mechanism which forms the containers so as to produce a multiplicityof tetrahedron containers, each having a tape sealed access aperture ina wall thereof, comprising (a) a pair of tape guide means to positionends of a .pair of lengths of heat scalable tape proximate a face of thesheet so that a pair of apertures in the sheet and the end portions ofthe lengths af tape 8 are in alignment at a moment during the movementof the sheet;

(b) air piston actuated tape feed means to intermittently advance thetapes in a direction transverse to the direction of the web movement ametered amount so as to present successive pairs of end portions of thetapes providing the tape seals when the air piston is connected to thesupply of actuating air;

(c) a pair of electrically heated heaters, each having a heated face forheat sealing severed end portions of the lengths of tape to the sheet,reciprocally movable in a direction normal to the direction of themovement of the sheet between a first position away from the sheet moredistantly than the terminal portions of the tape guide means, and asecond position at which the heaters press the severed end portions tothe sheet;

(d) a frame carrying the heaters which is reciprocally and freelymovable between a first position, where the heaters move from theirfirst to their second position and where the heated faces of the heatersare each in alignment respectively with the end portions of the lengthsof tapes when the heaters reach their second position, and a secondposition spaced from the first position in the direction of the movementof the sheet a distance less than the distance between successive pairsof apertures in the sheet, where the heaters return from their second totheir first position; I V

(e) a pair of tape cutting means each comprising a pair of cuttingmembers, one of which members is mounted on the frame and provides theterminal portion of one 'of the tape guide means when the frame is inits first position and one of which members is mounted on one of theheaters in sliding arrangement with the first member to provide ashearing action to sever an end portion from each of the tapes each timethe heaters move from their first to their second position;

(f) means to move the frame from its second to its first positioncomprising an air actuated piston which, when connected to the supply ofactuating air, moves the frame from its second position to its firstposition at a speed such that the frame reaches its first positionbefore an unsealed aperture reaches that position;

(g) a pair of air actuated pistons mounted on the frame and to which theheaters are mounted which, when connected to the supply of actuatingair, move the heaters from their first to their second position andwhich when disconnected from the supply of actuating air, move theheaters from their second to their first position;

(h) means to move the frame from its first to its second positioncomprising a bed, mounted to the frame, over which the moving sheetpasses and which provides a stop for the heaters so that the sheet isclamped between the heaters and the bed in non-slipping arrangementwhile the heaters are in their second position;

.(i) a first sensing means which, when the frame reaches its secondposition, opens a valve, thereby connecting the frame moving airpistonto the supply of actuating air, and closes .a valve, therebydisconnecting the pair of heater bearing air pistons from their supplyof actuating air;

(3') a second sensing means which, when the frame reaches its firstposition, opens a valve thereby connecting the tape feeding piston tothe supply of actuating air, and

(k) a third sensing means, actuated i-n timed relationship to the meansactuating the aperture forming attachment, which opens a valve therebyconnecting the pair of air pistons to their supply of actuating air, andcloses a valve, thereby discon- 9 necting the frame moving piston fromthe supply of actuating air.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein that portion of that surfaceof each heater which contacts the tape end and which is nearest thecorresponding portion of the other heater has an indented portionpositioned over a tape end so that a transverse portion of that tape endremains unsealed to the sheet.

3. Apparatus for providing tape seals over .a series of apertures in amoving sheet of material, comprising tape feed means to intermittentlyadvance a length of heat sealable tape a metered amount, tape cuttingmeans to intermittently sever successive end portions from the tape soas to provide an end portion for each aperture, movable heater meanshaving a heated face for heat sealing an end portion of the tape to thesheet, heater moving means to move the heater means between a firstposition away from the sheet and a second position where the heated faceof the heater means is pressed against the moving sheet, tape guidemeans to position an end portion of the tape between the heated face ofthe heater means and the sheet, over the path taken by the apertures, sothat the end portion of the tape and the heated face are in alignmentwhen the heater means is in its second position, a frame, on which theheater means is mounted, reciprocally movable between a first position,where the heater means moves from its first to its second position andwhere the heated face of the heater means and the end portion of thetape are in alignment when the heater means reaches its second position,and a second position in spaced relationship from the first position inthe direction of the movement of the sheet, where the heater means movesfrom its second toward its first position, means to move the frame fromits second to its first position at a speed such that the frame reachesits first position before an unsealed aperture in the sheet reaches thatposition, means to move the heater means from its first to its secondposition when an end portion of the tape and an aperture in the sheetare in alignment, means to move the frame from its first to its secondposition at a speed such that during such movement of the frame theheated face of the heater means, the end portion of the tape and anaperture in the sheet remain in alignment, and means to move the heatermeans from its second to its first position when the frame reaches itssecond position, said tape cutting means comprising a first cutting edgeprovided by a member mounted on the heater means and .arranged forslidable cutting contact with a second cutting edge provided by a membermounted on the frame, so that the movement of the heater means from itsfirst to second position severs an end portion from the tape just beforethe heater means reaches its second position.

4. Apparatus for providing tape seals over a series of apertures in amoving sheet of material, comprising tape feed means to intermittentlyadvance a length of heat sealable tape a metered amount, tape cuttingmeans to intermittently sever successive end portions from the tape soas to provide an end portion for each aperture, movable heater meanshaving a heated face for heat sealing an end portion of the tape to thesheet, heater moving means to move the heater means between a firstposition away from the sheet and a second position where the heated faceof the heater means is pressed against the moving sheet, tape guidemeans to position an end portion of the tape between the heated face ofthe heater means and the sheet, over the path taken by the apertures, sothat the end portion of the tape and the heated face are in alignmentwhen the heater means is in its second position, a frame, on which theheater means is mounted, reciprocally movable between a first position,where the heater means moves from its first to its second position andwhere the heated face of the heater means and the end portion of thetape are in alignment when the heater means reaches its second position,and a second position in spaced relationship from the first position inthe direction of the movement of the sheet, where the heater means movesfrom its second toward its first position, means to move the frame fromits second to its first position at a speed such that the frame reachesits first position before an unsealed aperture in the sheet reaches thatposition, means to move the heater means from its first to its secondposition when an end portion of the tape and an aperture in the sheetare in alignment, means to move the frame from its first to its secondposition at a speed such that during such movement of the frame theheated face of the heater means, the end portion of the tape and anaperture in the sheet remain in alignment, and means to move the heatermeans from its second to its first position when the frame reaches itssecond position, said means to move the frame from its second to itsfirst position comprising an air piston actuated by sensing means whichdetects when the frame has reached its second position, wherein the tapefeed means comprises an air piston actuated by sensing means whichdetects when the frame has reached its first position, and wherein themeans to move the heater means comprises an air piston actuated, intimed relationship to the position of an aperture with respect to theheater means, by sensing means which causes the air piston to move theheater means to its second position and actuated, when the frame reachesits second position, by sensing means which causes the air piston tomove the heater means to its first position.

5. The structure of claim 3 wherein said heater means seals only aportion of said heat sealable material to said sheet material whereby aporton of said heat sealable material is not sealed to said sheetmaterial to provide a means to readily pull said heat sealable materialfrom said sheet material to expose the hole formed by said formingmeans.

6. The structure of claim 5 wherein the containers formed aretetrahedrons.

7. Apparatus to provide a plurality of tetrahedron shaped liquidimpervious containers with sealed openings therein comprising: means forsupplying sheet material to said apparatus, said sheet material having alamina of thermoplastic material substantially liquid impervious, meansto advance said sheet material, hole forming means operably associatedwith said sheet material to periodically form a plurality of pairs ofholes in said advancing sheet of material, each of said pairs of holesbeing spaced from the next adjacent pairs of holes, means tosimultaneously place a strip of heat sealable material over each hole ofsaid pair of holes, means to heat seal a portion of each of said heatsealable strips to said sheet material to close each of said holes andto leave a portion of said heat sealable strips unsealed to provide ameans to readily pull said heat sealable strips from said sheet materialto expose the hole formed therein, means to form said sheet materialinto a plurality of tetrahedrons and means to sever said sheet materialbetween each of said pairs of holes and between the holes in each pair.

8. Apparatus to provide a plurality of shaped containers with sealedopenings therein comprising: means for supplying sheet material to saidapparatus, means to advance said sheet material, hole forming meansoperably associated with said sheet material to periodically form aplurality of pairs of holes in said advancing sheet of material, each ofsaid pairs of holes being spaced from the next adjacent pairs of holes,means to simultaneously place a strip of heat sealable material overeach hole of said pair of holes, means to heat seal a portion of each ofsaid heat sealable strips to said sheet material to close each of saidholes and to leave a portion of said heat sealable strips unsealed toprovide a means to readily pull said heat sealable strips from saidsheet material to expose the hole formed therein, means to form saidsheet material into a plurality of containers and means to sever saidsheet material between each of said pairs of holes and between the holesin each pair. 554,398

References Cited by the Examiner 2%;???

UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 566:149

2,418,392 4/1947 Bender 5314 X 3,011,293 12/1961 Rado 5314 3,022,618 2/1962 Schwartz et a1. 53-180 X 3,193,978 7/1965 Bader 5314 12 FOREIGNPATENTS 2/ 1957 Belgium.

9/ 195 6 France.

2/ 1933 Great Britain. 8/ 1957 Italy.

FRANK E. BAILEY, Primary Examiner.

L. S. BOUCHARD, Assistant Examiner.

8. APPARATUS TO PROVIDE A PLURALITY OF SHAPED CONTAINERS WITH SEALEDOPENINGS THEREIN COMPRISING: MEANS FOR SUPPLYING SHEET MATERIAL TO SAIDAPPARATUS, MEANS TO ADVANCE SAID SHEET MATERIAL, HOLE FORMING MEANSOPERABLY ASSOCIATED WITH SAID SHEET MATERIAL TO PERIODICALLY FORM APLURALITY OF PAIRS OF HOLES IN SAID ADVANCING SHEET OF MATERIAL, EACH OFSAID PAIRS OF HOLES BEING SPACED FROM THE NEXT ADJACENT PAIRS OF HOLES,MEANS TO SIMULTANEOUSLY PLACE A STRIP OF HEAT SEALABLE MATERIAL OVEREACH HOLE OF SAID PAIR OF HOLES, MEANS TO HEAT SEAL A PORTION OF EACH OFSAID HEAT SEALABLE STRIPS TO SAID SHEET MATERIAL TO CLOSE EACH OF SAIDHOLES AND TO LEAVE A PORTION OF SAID HEAT SEALABLE STRIPS UNSEALED TOPROVIDE A MEANS TO READILY PULL SAID HEAT SEALABLE STRIPS FROM SAIDSHEET MATERIAL TO EXPOSE THE HOLE FORMED THEREIN, MEANS TO FORM SAIDSHEET MATERIAL INTO A PLURALITY OF CONTAINERS AND MEANS TO SEVER SAIDSHEET MATERIAL BETWEEN EACH OF SAID PAIRS OF HOLES AND BETWEEN THE HOLESIN EACH PAIR.